The system sends email to root's mailbox /var/mail/root for the periodic cron jobs. If the mail is not read and deleted then the size of file will grow and perhaps fill the file system. Additionally, it may contain useful information regarding the system.
It is possible to forward root's mail to a users' inbox by making the following entry in aliases:
# Pretty much everything else in this file points to "root", so # you would do well in either reading root's mailbox or forwarding # root's email from here. # root: me@my.domain root: your_username
After making any changes to /etc/aliases sendmail must made aware of the changes by running:
# newaliases
Any mail sent to root will now be sent to the specified user's mail inbox. This can be tested using mail as shown below. After specifying a subject, type a message. To send the mail, press CTRL+D at the beginning of a blank line.
# mail root Subject: Test of forwarding this is a test. EOT
Appropriate filters can be set up in most mail clients so that root's mail is easily distinguishable from other mail.